Why is this information so hard to find?

This is still the most disconcerting part for me. In fact, I’m writing these posts largely as an attempt to increase awareness for others who may be searching for low-cost, low-risk, effective psorasis treatments.

The lack of a real, reputable study on the use of glycerin to treat psoriasis was discussed on Inspire. The thread’s author reports on an email exchange with Dr. Bollag.

“We are in the process of preparing a manuscript for submission on some additional research on this project but it probably won’t be out for many months still (depending on how kind or unkind the reviewers are). In the meantime, we published a review article discussing the evidence for the importance of glycerol, and more particularly its transporter aquaporin–3, in healthy and diseased skin. Anecdotally, I have heard from several individuals of the benefits of glycerol, which can be obtained from a pharmacy or from a crafts store like Michael’s (glycerol, otherwise known as glycerin, is an ingredient in cake icing). Thank you for letting me know about this thread–I will go take a look. Interestingly, I have applied several times to NPF to study this idea and have always been declined for funding.”

That last sentence gives many, including me, heartburn.

Placebo Effect

Without a reputable, reproducible study in a peer-reviewed journal, any success with glycerine and psoriasis is simply a placebo effect. Or at least that’s how it will be received by naysayers and skeptics. Even worse, it will not make its way in front of doctors.

In healthcare, physicians and wonky administrative types (like me) tend to favor evidence based medicine —doing what reproducible, peer-reviewed literature shows to be effective. That’s why we need a study for this $4 internet cure.

Follow the funding?

I’m pretty cynical. But I’m not sure I totally buy the notion research goes unfunded because there’s no money in the cure. Regardless, I wonder if this is a case where the community should crowdsource the trial.